there was an error later seemed everything was cached and took a while for this to happen.
GEOSERVER ERROR was:

Oops, something went wrong...

Sorry, something unexpected happened on the server.

Here's an error report you can include in a JIRA bug report about this issue:
org.apache.wicket.WicketRuntimeException: Error attaching this container for rendering: [MarkupContainer [Component id = attributePanel]] at org.apache.wicket.MarkupContainer.onBeforeRenderChildren(MarkupContainer.java:1765) at org.apache.wicket.Component.onBeforeRender(Component.java:3946) at org.apache.wicket.Component.internalBeforeRender(Component.java:1071) at org.apache.wicket.Component.beforeRender(Component.java:1105) at org.apache.wicket.MarkupContainer.onBeforeRenderChildren(MarkupContainer.java:1753) at org.apache.wicket.Component.onBeforeRender(Component.java:3946) at org.apache.wicket.Component.internalBeforeRender(Component.java:1071) at org.apache.wicket.Component.beforeRender(Component.java:1105) at org.apache.wicket.MarkupContainer.onBeforeRenderChildren(MarkupContainer.java:1753) at org.apache.wicket.Component.onBeforeRender(Component.java:3946) at org.apache.wicket.Component.internalBeforeRender(Component.java:1071) at org.apache.wicket.Component.beforeRender(Component.java:1105) at org.apache.wicket.MarkupContainer.onBeforeRenderChildren(MarkupContainer.java:1753) at org.apache.wicket.Component.onBeforeRender(Component.java:3946) at org.apache.wicket.markup.repeater.AbstractRepeater.onBeforeRender(AbstractRepeater.java:151) at org.apache.wicket.Component.internalBeforeRender(Component.java:1071) at org.apache.wicket.Component.beforeRender(Component.java:1105) at org.apache.wicket.MarkupContainer.onBeforeRenderChildren(MarkupContainer.java:1753) at org.apache.wicket.Component.onBeforeRender(Component.java:3946) at org.apache.wicket.Component.internalBeforeRender(Component.java:1071) at org.apache.wicket.Component.beforeRender(Component.java:1105) at org.apache.wicket.MarkupContainer.onBeforeRenderChildren(MarkupContainer.java:1753) at org.apache.wicket.Component.onBeforeRender(Component.java:3946) at org.apache.wicket.extensions.markup.html.tabs.TabbedPanel.onBeforeRender(TabbedPanel.java:244) at org.apache.wicket.Component.internalBeforeRender(Component.java:1071) at org.apache.wicket.Component.beforeRender(Component.java:1105) at org.apache.wicket.MarkupContainer.onBeforeRenderChildren(MarkupContainer.java:1753) at org.apache.wicket.Component.onBeforeRender(Component.java:3946) at org.apache.wicket.markup.html.form.Form.onBeforeRender(Form.java:2056) at org.apache.wicket.Component.internalBeforeRender(Component.java:1071) at org.apache.wicket.Component.beforeRender(Component.java:1105) at org.apache.wicket.MarkupContainer.onBeforeRenderChildren(MarkupContainer.java:1753) at org.apache.wicket.Component.onBeforeRender(Component.java:3946) at org.apache.wicket.Page.onBeforeRender(Page.java:1531) at org.apache.wicket.Component.internalBeforeRender(Component.java:1071) at org.apache.wicket.Component.beforeRender(Component.java:1105) at org.apache.wicket.Component.prepareForRender(Component.java:2292) at org.apache.wicket.Page.prepareForRender(Page.java:1521) at org.apache.wicket.Component.prepareForRender(Component.java:2329) at org.apache.wicket.Page.renderPage(Page.java:892) at org.apache.wicket.request.target.component.BookmarkablePageRequestTarget.respond(BookmarkablePageRequestTarget.java:261) at org.apache.wicket.request.AbstractRequestCycleProcessor.respond(AbstractRequestCycleProcessor.java:105) at org.apache.wicket.RequestCycle.processEventsAndRespond(RequestCycle.java:1258) at org.apache.wicket.RequestCycle.step(RequestCycle.java:1329) at org.apache.wicket.RequestCycle.steps(RequestCycle.java:1436) at org.apache.wicket.RequestCycle.request(RequestCycle.java:545) at org.apache.wicket.protocol.http.WicketFilter.doGet(WicketFilter.java:484) at org.apache.wicket.protocol.http.WicketServlet.doGet(WicketServlet.java:138) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:707) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:820) at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.ServletWrappingController.handleRequestInternal(ServletWrappingController.java:158) at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.AbstractController.handleRequest(AbstractController.java:153) at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.SimpleControllerHandlerAdapter.handle(SimpleControllerHandlerAdapter.java:48) at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:875) at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:809) at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:571) at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:501) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:707) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:820) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHolder.handle(ServletHolder.java:487) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1093) at org.geoserver.filters.ThreadLocalsCleanupFilter.doFilter(ThreadLocalsCleanupFilter.java:23) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1084) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:68) at org.springframework.security.ui.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilterHttp(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:101) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.ui.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilterHttp(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:101) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.ui.basicauth.BasicProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(BasicProcessingFilter.java:174) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.providers.anonymous.AnonymousProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(AnonymousProcessingFilter.java:105) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.ui.rememberme.RememberMeProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(RememberMeProcessingFilter.java:116) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.wrapper.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilterHttp(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:91) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.ui.AbstractProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(AbstractProcessingFilter.java:278) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.ui.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilterHttp(LogoutFilter.java:89) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.context.HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.doFilterHttp(HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.java:192) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.context.HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.doFilterHttp(HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.java:192) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.intercept.web.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:99) at org.springframework.security.intercept.web.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:83) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.intercept.web.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:99) at org.springframework.security.intercept.web.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:83) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:394) at org.springframework.security.intercept.web.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:99) at org.springframework.security.intercept.web.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:83) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.ui.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilterHttp(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:101) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.providers.anonymous.AnonymousProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(AnonymousProcessingFilter.java:105) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.ui.rememberme.RememberMeProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(RememberMeProcessingFilter.java:116) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.wrapper.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilterHttp(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:91) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.ui.AbstractProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(AbstractProcessingFilter.java:278) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.ui.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilterHttp(LogoutFilter.java:89) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.context.HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.doFilterHttp(HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.java:192) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:185) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter$Chain.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:64) at org.geoserver.filters.SpringDelegatingFilter.doFilter(SpringDelegatingFilter.java:39) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1084) at org.geoserver.platform.AdvancedDispatchFilter.doFilter(AdvancedDispatchFilter.java:49) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1084) at org.vfny.geoserver.filters.SetCharacterEncodingFilter.doFilter(SetCharacterEncodingFilter.java:109) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1084) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:394) at org.springframework.security.intercept.web.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:109) at org.springframework.security.intercept.web.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:83) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.ui.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilterHttp(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:101) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.providers.anonymous.AnonymousProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(AnonymousProcessingFilter.java:105) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.ui.rememberme.RememberMeProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(RememberMeProcessingFilter.java:116) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.wrapper.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilterHttp(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:91) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.ui.AbstractProcessingFilter.doFilterHttp(AbstractProcessingFilter.java:278) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.ui.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilterHttp(LogoutFilter.java:89) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.context.HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.doFilterHttp(HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.java:235) at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:406) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:185) at org.springframework.security.util.FilterToBeanProxy.doFilter(FilterToBeanProxy.java:99) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1084) at org.geoserver.filters.LoggingFilter.doFilter(LoggingFilter.java:71) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1084) at org.geoserver.filters.ReverseProxyFilter.doFilter(ReverseProxyFilter.java:183) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1084) at org.geoserver.filters.GZIPFilter.doFilter(GZIPFilter.java:41) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1084) at org.geoserver.filters.SessionDebugFilter.doFilter(SessionDebugFilter.java:46) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedChain.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1084) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler.handle(ServletHandler.java:360) at org.mortbay.jetty.security.SecurityHandler.handle(SecurityHandler.java:216) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.SessionHandler.handle(SessionHandler.java:181) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.ContextHandler.handle(ContextHandler.java:726) at org.mortbay.jetty.webapp.WebAppContext.handle(WebAppContext.java:405) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.ContextHandlerCollection.handle(ContextHandlerCollection.java:206) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerCollection.handle(HandlerCollection.java:114) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerWrapper.handle(HandlerWrapper.java:152) at org.mortbay.jetty.Server.handle(Server.java:324) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection.handleRequest(HttpConnection.java:505) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection$RequestHandler.headerComplete(HttpConnection.java:828) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpParser.parseNext(HttpParser.java:514) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpParser.parseAvailable(HttpParser.java:211) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection.handle(HttpConnection.java:380) at org.mortbay.io.nio.SelectChannelEndPoint.run(SelectChannelEndPoint.java:395) at org.mortbay.thread.BoundedThreadPool$PoolThread.run(BoundedThreadPool.java:450) Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException at org.geotools.data.directory.DirectoryTypeCache.getDataStore(DirectoryTypeCache.java:130) at org.geotools.data.directory.DirectoryDataStore.getDataStore(DirectoryDataStore.java:175) at org.geotools.data.directory.DirectoryDataStore.getSchema(DirectoryDataStore.java:98) at org.geotools.data.directory.DirectoryDataStore.getSchema(DirectoryDataStore.java:159) at org.geotools.data.directory.DirectoryDataStore.getSchema(DirectoryDataStore.java:47) at org.geoserver.catalog.ResourcePool.getFeatureType(ResourcePool.java:630) at org.geoserver.catalog.ResourcePool.getFeatureType(ResourcePool.java:589) at org.geoserver.catalog.ResourcePool.loadAttributes(ResourcePool.java:472) at org.geoserver.catalog.ResourcePool.getAttributes(ResourcePool.java:448) at org.geoserver.web.data.resource.FeatureResourceConfigurationPanel$1.getObject(FeatureResourceConfigurationPanel.java:57) at org.geoserver.web.data.resource.FeatureResourceConfigurationPanel$1.getObject(FeatureResourceConfigurationPanel.java:53) at org.apache.wicket.Component.getDefaultModelObject(Component.java:1720) at org.apache.wicket.markup.html.list.ListView.getViewSize(ListView.java:220) at org.apache.wicket.markup.html.list.ListView.onPopulate(ListView.java:511) at org.apache.wicket.markup.repeater.AbstractRepeater.onBeforeRender(AbstractRepeater.java:131) at org.apache.wicket.Component.internalBeforeRender(Component.java:1071) at org.apache.wicket.Component.beforeRender(Component.java:1105) at org.apache.wicket.MarkupContainer.onBeforeRenderChildren(MarkupContainer.java:1753) ... 184 more